US Central Command forces eliminated ISIS's second in command Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known by his alias "Abu Khadijah," on Thursday in the Al Anbar Province in western Iraq, they announced in a post on X/Twitter on Saturday morning.
Khadijah was also considered the group's Chief of Global Operations in Iraq.
CENTCOM conducted the strike in cooperation with Iraqi intelligence, with US President Donald Trump writing in a Truth Social post that it was also done in coordination with the Kurdish Regional Government. Another ISIS terrorist was killed in the strike.
CENTCOM Forces Kill ISIS Chief of Global Operations Who Also Served as ISIS #2On March 13, U.S. Central Command forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader,… pic.twitter.com/rWeEoUY7Lw
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025
Khadijah was responsible for ISIS's operations, logistics, and planning conducted by the terrorist organization globally, according to CENTCOM.
Statements about strike that killed ISIS leader
Trump spoke about Khadijah in his post, sating that he was "relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters. His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!"
CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said that "Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization.
"We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and US, allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond."
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani referred to Abu Khadijah upon his death saying he was "one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world."
Both Iraqi and CENTCOM forces arrived to the site after it was struck where, using the ISIS leader's DNA, the forces were confirmed his death. They had also found his body and the body of the other ISIS terrorist killed wearing unexploded “suicide vests” and had multiple weapons. CENTCOM and Iraqi forces previously collected DNA on the ISIS leader during a previous raid where the terrorist had just barely escaped.
Reuters contributed to this report.
